Photography by: Aurelia Baca Photography

As an event designer, I take pride in crafting memorable experiences that resonate with my clients. Recently, I had the pleasure of designing a special evening for a couple celebrating an anniversary milestone. Set under a canopy of the gorgeous tree they originally got married under, this intimate dinner for two combined a modern style with vintage touches, transforming a beautiful outdoor space into a romantic haven. Join me as I share the inspiration, details, and unique elements that made this celebration truly unforgettable.

Furniture

I wanted the space under the tree to feel intimate and private, even in the wide open space of the outdoors. In order to do this, I set up rugs on the ground and furniture and décor in a way that surrounded the dining table and created the feel of a “room”.

The furniture I rented included modern metallic finishes and silhouettes, along with natural wood elements to tie into the surrounding environment.

Lighting

A little behind the scenes - this amazing location happened to be in the ⁠middle of nowhere with no power. Because the event was a dinner that would take place into the evening when it got dark out, we had the challenge of making sure the space was lit. But I love a challenge! We brought in generators and hung amazing pendant lights from the branches of the tree above the dining table.

In addition to the lights above, I surrounded the table with woven lanterns, and set up a variety of candles on all of the furniture for a warm, romantic glow.

Flowers

To bring in more color and natural beauty, we infused the area with an array of floral arrangements in pink, red, white, and yellow hues.

Place Settings

I wanted the place settings to feel elegant, yet still relaxed. I achieved this by using a mixture of natural wood placemats, vintage floral cloth napkins, and subtly-textured glazed plates with fancier gold utensils and ornate glassware.

To bring more of the nature element in to the place settings, I added some matching dried florals into the knot of the napkins.

I used printed menus that fit perfectly and stylishly on one side of the dessert plate, and included a special anniversary message in the center. This delicious meal was prepared by a private chef and served to the couple by private servers. Talk about special!

Drink Station

I set up a drink station on a set of open wooden shelves and a small modern side table. Flowers on the top shelf tied this station to the rest of the celebration area. On the second shelf, a set of mixology tools and openers, along with napkins and a wooden bowl served as practical themed decor. The bottom two shelves included wine varietals fit to pair with each course, champagne on ice, and enough gorgeous glasses for each drink.

On the side table I placed an elegant bucket of extra ice. We are in Texas, after all; it can get quite warm here!

Dessert Table

For desserts, I set up a round table next to the drink station, decorated with more candles and florals arrangements.

The centerpiece of the table was a gorgeous vintage-style white heart cake simply decorated with the couple’s initials on top. I placed this on an amber stand to match the drink goblets on the table and drink station, and the votive candle holders throughout the area.

Because you can never have too many desserts, I also set out mini-cakes on little wooden stands and crystal bowls of macarons.

The anniversary dinner was a heartfelt celebration, beautifully set in the same location where the couple exchanged vows years ago. It was a perfect blend of vintage nostalgia and elegant romance, making the evening truly unforgettable. Designing this event was such an honor!

P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and if you’re in the Austin area and want some help planning or styling a celebration, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

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